Float valve



Dec. 4, 1934. TARLETQN I 1,982,705

FLOAT VALVE Filed May 20, 1933 INVENTOR. fiederzc L ,7zirlefan dl mgrycwffd Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES FLOAT VALVE Frederic L. Tarleton, Greenville, Mich., assignor' to Gibson Electric Refrigerator Corporation,- Greenville, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application Maya, 1933, Serial No. 671,983'

2 Claims. (01. 1379-109 This invention relates to float valve constructions, and particularly to float valves for refrigeration and other uses where fluid is to be retained under pressure in a receptacle until a certain level is attained, and then to be allowed to escape through thevalve controlled by the float, the effect of such controlbeing to maintainthe liquid level substantially constant. k

An important object of the invention is the provision of a float-valve so designed that the valve seat is wiped by the obturating element at every valve actuation in a manner calculated to keep the seat clean and thereby insure full closing and tight sealing of the valve without the possibility of interference by dirt particles or and inexpensive construction.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a transverse section of a tank incorporated in the high side of a refrigerating system, within which a constant minimum liquid level is desired to be maintained, and the contents of whichmay be at higher pressures than succeeding portions of the system, showing installed therein a float valve incorporating the princi- 25 ples of this invention, the liquid level being shown at the predetermined minimum and the valve closed;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the liquid above the predetermined level and the valve Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation view of the valve mechanism, fragmentarily showing the tank and float;

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the combined float arm and actuating lever.

Referring now to the drawing, reference character 10 designates a tank, such as a receiver incorporated in the high or pressure side of a refrigerating system, although as will be apparent, my improved valve construction is equally usable in other applications. The tank 10 has an inlet 10a opening into its top portion and an outlet tube 12 running from a point nearer the bottom of the tank to an evaporator .(not shown) or other subsequent portion of the system.

Serving as an outlet coupling for the tube 12 and projecting into the tank, lin-whose side it is 60, sealed, is a float supporting and valve block 14 having an interiorboreld communicating with the outlet'tube and a valve orifice 15- forming the terminusof a lateral continuation of the bore "16 andopenin'g in a smoothlyrflnished side surface of the block. The valve orifice may sharply overhang the interior bore, as best shown in Figure 4, to eliminate all areas near the valve seat where accumulation of foreign matter might be undesirable.

The float 18 is shown as of hollow sheet metal construction and pivotally supported from the block 14 by a lever arm 20 formed as an inverted U-shaped sheet metal stamping pivoted on a pin 22 carried by the block 14 and having flanges as 19 at its float end by means of which it is attached to the float, as by means of spot welding. Float lever 20 also constitutes a bellcrank byvirtue of the downwardly extending arm 21 which projects therefrom along one side of the block 14. 30 As best shown in Figure 4, the arm 21 is spaced from the block 14 and projects downwardly on the side of the block in which the valve orifice opens to a point beyond that orifice.

In the lever arm 21, in alignment with the ori- 35 fice in one position to which the downwardly extending arm may be moved, is an aperture as 24 in which is retained an obturating or valve member 25 having a stem portion loosely projecting through but retained by the aperture 24, and 9 a head portion larger than the aperture and bearing against the side of the block, the head being adapted to close the valve orifice when the arm 21 is moved, as by means of the float, to a predetermined position in which the valve head 5 covers the orifice. The valve head is urged against the side of the block by means of a leaf spring 26 secured to the float arm 20 as at 28 and bearing against the end of the valve stem, as best shown in Figure 4. If the spring is supported by a single screw, as shown, angular displacement of the spring may be guarded against by projection of the pin 22 beyond the bracket 20 beside the spring, and by integrally turning out a lug as 23 from the arm 21 on the other 5 side of the spring. The member 20 will be seen to constitute a bellcrank actuatable by the float as it rises and falls to move the valve member 25 to and from a position to which it blocks the valve orifice 15. It will also be seen that pressure within the tank 10 assists the spring 26 in holding the valve against its seat, and that due to its wiping action the valve cannot be prevented from seating properly by grit or foreign matter. While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims. What I claim is: 1. In a float valve construction, a supporting member having a valve orifice opening in one face thereof, a float, means including an arm pivotally connecting the float to the support, another relatively thin and fiat arm connected to the first and movable in response to movement thereof across and substantially parallel to the orificed face of the supporting member, a valve -member supported by said last mentioned arm and having a head portion between the arm and support, and engaging the latter, and a reduced stem portion slidably projecting through and from the arm, whereby the valve is movable across the, oriflced surface of the support to and from a position in which it blocks the orifice, a leaf spring carried by said second mentioned arm and bearing against the stem portion of the valve to urge the straddling and pivoted to the block and having a flattened portion movable relatively to the block across the orificed face thereof, a valve member having a head portion larger than the orifice arranged between the arm and block and having a reduced stem portion projecting through and from the other side of said arm and adapted to be moved wiping'ly over and from saidorifice upon swinging of the arm through a possible path of movement, pivot pin securing the arm to the block and projecting from the arm on the same side as the valve stem, another projecting portion carried by the arm on the same side thereof, and

means urging the valve member against the orificed face of the block, comprising a leaf spring carried by the arm and arranged between said last mentioned projecting portion and the projecting end'of the pin.

" FREDERIC L. TARLETON. 

